Set your GOALS sky high

Can’t have enough of the European Football Championship 2012 on TV? Here’s a chance to get totally into the game by learning more about soccer and channelling your inner football champion. Jeevan Prakash Sharma gets you information on everything you need to know about football training academies in Delhi

Started in 2002, Delhi Development Authority’s football promotion scheme provides wannabe learners one of the best opportunities for football coaching in the city. Every year in the month of July/August, a trial is held at both the Siri Fort Sports Complex and Yamuna Sports Complex. Selected students are not just imparted specialised training, they also get a playing kit and Rs. 100 for attending each practice class.

“The scheme was started 10 years ago by Diwakar Sarkar, the then director of sports, DDA. We have a total of 45 seats in the Siri Fort Sports Complex and 30 seats at Yamuna Sports Complex. Every year around 10 to 15 seats are vacated as some students pass out to join clubs to play higher level matches,” says Jasmer Singh, the senior coach. Singh has 20 years of experience of coaching many teams such as Indian Air Force, senior Delhi and senior Haryana.

DDA has roped in internationally-recognised coaches and players who are in charge of things.

India’s longest serving football captain, Bhaichung Bhutia, started his football school in November 2010 with an aim to provide world class football coaching in India. BBFS has six training centres in Delhi NCR - Ryan International School, Vasant Kunj and Rohini; IIT Delhi, Hauz Khas; Cambridge School, Sector 27, Noida; Jaypee Sports Complex, Greater Noida and Ridge Valley School, Gurgaon.

“We primarily cater to children in the age group of 5 to 18 years. At present 400 students are training with us. We had engaged the services of internationally acclaimed European academies to formulate coaching methods and train our coaches. Currently, we have appointed Jose Tavares, an experienced UEFA-licensed coach from Portugal, as the head coach,” says Anurag Khilnani, director and co-founder of BBFS.

This is another initiative of DDA to promote football in Delhi. Col N S Yadav, secretary of DDA Sports Complex, Vasant Kunj, converted a barren piece of land into an international standard football playground in December 2011.

“It’s an initiative of ten like-minded football lovers of the country. When we saw that there are private academies in Delhi which are charging between Rs. 10,00 and Rs. 12,000 for training camps of one or two months duration we decided to come together and open a training school. We are really thankful to DDA for taking so much of interest, says Naveen Teotia, one of the coaches.

The Academy has invested Rs. 1 lakh to secure the latest international equipment for training. It provides free coaching to children from economically weaker sections.

Steve McMahon is a former captain of Liverpool FC, Everton FC and Manchester City FC. In addition to this he won 17 caps for England and also played at the 1990 World Cup in Italy where England ranked 3rd.

He has recently started the Steve McMahon Football Academy (SMFA) at Laxman Public School in Delhi and Genesis Global School, Noida. The academy coaching programme is based on the Liverpool FC way of coaching and consequently the trainees get coached as per the Liverpool methodology.

Sharandeep Sandhu, head, operations, SMFA, India, says, “SMFA focuses on the basics of football and employs various drills that help the trainees not only in developing their football skills and agility but also in their overall development in terms of communication skills etc.”

Conscient Football in long term partnership with FC Barcelona has started Programa Elité, an intensive skill development programme for children between 6-16 (boys & girls) years of age. The programme has been created by Conscient Football’s technical director, Eric Jones, who is an FA qualified coach with 15 years of coaching experience. Says Anupama Jain, director, Conscient Football, “The objective of Programa Elité is to significantly improve the tactical and technical football skills of young footballers.” Trainings are held after school hours- 3-4 hours a week spread across 2-3 days in a week. It’s a continuous development programme and carries on throughout the year.

Established in 1936, Simla Youngs Football club is registered with the Delhi Soccer Association & All India Football Federation. It is reckoned as one of the leading football clubs of Delhi and has enjoyed the title of ‘Delhi Champions’ over 10 times.

Apart from playing in the local and national leagues this acdemy has also been promoting the game among youngsters at various levels by running two school leagues and a training centre . It is running two training centres in Delhi - Vinay Marg Sports Complex, Opposite Nehru Park, Chanakyapuri and Thyagraj Sports Complex, Behind INA Market.

“Our aim is to provide world-class players for the state and national teams so that we can qualify for the World Cup in future,” says Tushar Dev, technical director of Simla Youngs Football club.

Established in August 15, 2004, SN Roy Soccer Academy is run by former international footballer Tarun Roy who provides a soccer development programme for children who wish to significantly advance their soccer skills and knowledge of the game. The programme aims to train children between the age group of 5 to 16 years.

Says Roy, “The programme includes a complete series of specific skill improvement techniques, with specially designed drills to reinforce each new skill. In addition to the year round programme, the academy also arranges a tournament at the school level and participates in various tournaments and exhibition matches at the state level to ensure that all aspects of the game are covered in a comprehensive programme.”

“After passing out from our academy many boys and girls have represented the state in national football tournamnents,” informs Roy.

Delhi United Football Club, which won the Delhi Soccer Associations’ Senior division league in 2011, has been a prominent name in imparting football coaching in Delhi. It runs two training centres, one at Thyagraj Stadium and another at Pragati Public School, Dwarka.

At present there are around 150 students who are training at the two centres. The academy claims to have five experienced coaches. Pramod Rawat, who won the Best Coach Award from Delhi Soccer Association last year, is one among them.

“As a football club we are 17 years old. But we started our football academy only two-and-a-half-years ago. Our motto is to provide quality coaching and make the game popular among children and youngsters. In such a short span, we have received a very good response,” informs Pramod Rawat, the academy’s chief coach.